Ping-pong game with the idea of removing Kosovo border Albania

In practice, though, both governments have thrown the ball into each other's field for actions to take. As economic connoisseurs see this initiative more as populist and daily policy needs.

Recently, it was Kosovo President Hashim Thaci who, on behalf of Kosovo institutions, said Kosovo authorities are ready immediately to make a decision enabling the removal of Kosovo's border to Albania.

The “would be a miracle for 2020 to begin with the decision to remove the border and customs between the state of Kosovo and Albania, for which I invite Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to make that decision”, Thaci has said at a news conference.

Citizens of Kosovo and Albania continue to submit to controls at the border checkpoints connecting these two states.

Economic Affairs expert Safet Gerjaliu in a conversation for Radio Free Europe says that the continuing statements of leaders of the two states for border removal are populist, which, according to him, are not consistent in travelling to the European family.

The “should understand that Kosovo's road is partnership with European states and the United States of America, it is implementation of all the norms and conditions that CEFTA envisions and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the elimination of barriers should be the goal of both the president and the others, since it cannot be talked about European integration if we waste time producing barriers to free movement of people, goods and services, and in this direction should be the focus”, Gerjaliu says.

To gain easier economic co-operation between Kosovo and Albania, billions of euros in road infrastructure were invested. Both countries have also built roads, or highways that are more easily bound by both states.

Meanwhile, the governments of the two countries have signed many agreements, which both from Pristina and Tirana were presented as aiming to eliminate barriers between the two states. But in practice, according to Gerjaliu, many of these agreements are not implemented and businesses are the ones who have consistently complained about bureaucratic procedures.

“The expression of political courage means when concrete steps are taken to eliminate barriers, eliminate organised crime and create a more active approach to implement signed agreements that remain on paper. Economic co-operation must be freed from politics, free from folk patriotism, from emotions. In this direction, we should not build economic co-operation in populism, but in interest and fisbilities on both sides”, Gerjaliu says.

The removal of the Kosovo border -- promised years ago -- now appears to be even more complicated, since such a decision by Pristina and Tirana is required for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

But, opinionist from Tirana Armand Shkullaku in a conversation for Radio Free Europe has said the issue of the Kosovo border can be reached between the two states, with no agreement with other countries in the region as well.

Serbia cannot be excluded if it comes to a regional agreement, but I think to achieve such a goal, we first need an agreement between Albania and Kosovo. Serbia has a role and should have a role in new agreements that can be reached in the region, but first we have to have a Tirana-Pristina agreement, and then with a unified opinion we can present ourselves to any kind of project or other plan meant for the Balkans”, Shkullaku says.

For Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, it is absurd to seek Serbia's reconciliation for decisions that can take two states, Kosovo and Albania.

Such a decision to remove the border between Kosovo and Albania will not applaud in countries that do not want the common future of both states and our orientation or to empty threats that may come to this act by the European Union completely tired and incapable of strategic decisions for the Western Balkans”, Thaci has said.

The removal of the border between Kosovo and Albania, which was warned under several meetings that have held the governments of the two countries, was marginalised as the idea behind the regional initiative for “Mini-Ssenin”, part of which is not Kosovo.

The Balkan “Mini-Sengeni” has strained reports between Kosovo and Albania, while also putting dozens of agreements in various areas signed over years between the two states.